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Stories from the lives of athletes, all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

The Importance of the Bible: Super Bowl 50 Edition

By:
The Increase

February 11, 2016

With a final score of 24-10, the Denver Broncos left Levi’s Stadium as the 2016 Super Bowl Champs. In partnership with YouVersion (The Bible app), we had a chance to sit down with many of the players and ask them where they find their strength and perseverance, not just on the football field, but in every part of life. Many of them affirm that they draw strength and purpose from the Word of God. By reading and relying on the Bible, these players have found hope in something that will last far beyond their time on the football field.

“Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” —John 6:35

“Christ has been revealing Himself to me more and more each and every day as I seek Him and His Word. He shows me that I can come to Him at anytime, when I’m at my lowest moments and my highest ones. I always turn to Christ and thank Him for being me knowledge and wisdom for life no matter what is happening. I know that He’s always with me. I know that no matter what happens, there’s a greater blessing on the other side of this life—eternal life in Heaven with Him.

“We have a very busy schedule with meetings and practice and whole days of routine but Christ says to always give Him time, never forget Him. So during practice I just thank God for blessing me with good health and keeping me on the field. In the morning I always have my Bible with me and when we go into meeting rooms and have breaks, I open it up on my phone and get another piece of His Word that He has for me.” —Lerentee McCray, linebacker

“In my life, I find God first. It’s so important for people to have access to the Bible because if you don’t know what you are believing in, why believe in it? God’s Word is where you find your substance—your daily bread. I’m thankful to have such easy access to the Bible today. But having the Bible is one thing; reading it and putting it into action is another. It’s the Living Word and we are called to absorb it into our lives. In our team Bible study, as we study the Word, we are iron sharpening iron.” —DeMarcus Ware, linebacker

“Having access to the Bible is very important. God’s Word brings life to people where there is death. These words can transform people’s lives.” —Jordan Norwood, wide receiver

“I was taught by one of my mentors that the Bible is the Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth and that really stuck with me. It’s a guide. Everything you are going through, there is always something in the Bible that can speak into the situation that you’re going through, whether that something is in football, at home, or in other areas of life, the Bible always speaks to me.” —Taurean Nixon, cornerback

“I love reading daily Scripture. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 41:10 which says, ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ This verse has meant a lot to me because it assures me that God is with me wherever I go. I have nothing to fear because I know that God is in control. He’s loved me since before I even knew Him.” —Cam Jefferson, defensive tackle

“When I’m in the Word, my attitude is different, I have more joy. God gave us the Bible for a reason; it’s our playbook for life. It’s a lot of old stories, but if you look at them, every one relates to our day today. We are privileged in this country to have such easy access to the Bible. There are places in the world where people are desperate to get their hands on this book that they even need an interpreter in order to read. I think it’s not asking too much to be in God’s Word everyday for at least a few minutes and it will definitely change your life.” —Britton Colquitt, punter

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28

“Having the Bible in your life is such a blessing because the Word of God is living, breathing, and teaching. No matter what your circumstances are and no matter what you are going through, it will always apply to your life. One thing I ask the players is this, ‘What is your chapter going to say? If you had a chapter in the Bible, what would it say about your life and commitment to Christ?’ I think that speaks volumes because when you are living life in Christ, your life is you walking, talking, breathing resume.

My favorite Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.’ I believe that from the bottom of my heart. whether it’s a good play or bad play, pray; wherever you are, pray. God is always showing you something, so pray.” —Ray Jackson, Director of Player Engagement

This YouVersion video contains players from both teams talking about the effect God’s word has had on their lives:

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